What did you do to your XJ today??
Replaced driveshaft ujoints front and back. For abalone who was following the problems. Chirping shaking and popping after Evans last weekend. Ujoint on rear shaft was broken. All the noises are gone!
I finished up my rear storage drawer and pull out vice bench. I'll get pics up in the next day or so. I posted a few days back the question of whether or not the bottom end of a 4.0 could be rebuilt wile still in the jeep or not? Can any one help with this?
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 0
From: Yakima
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Bishop, I would pull the motor and save yourself alot of time. Im not sure it cant be done with the motor still in, but you cant pull the pistons through the bottom with the crank in the way, and im not sure how you would get the crank out with the motor in the jeep. The front crossmember would interfere with pulling it out i think.
You could unbolt the pistons and take them out the top but then you have to take the head off. Just seems easier to pull it.
Now if ur just wanting to do lifters, push rods and bearings, you can leave it in, but putting new parts on old parts doesnt usually work well. i.e. new bearings on old, possibly scored crank. And to do the lifters, you still would need to take the head off. I have heard of ways to fish them in and out with the head on, but it sounds scary and difficult! lol
Mind you I have never rebuilt an engine myself, but this makes logical sense to me. I have been inside mine a time or two!
You could unbolt the pistons and take them out the top but then you have to take the head off. Just seems easier to pull it.
Now if ur just wanting to do lifters, push rods and bearings, you can leave it in, but putting new parts on old parts doesnt usually work well. i.e. new bearings on old, possibly scored crank. And to do the lifters, you still would need to take the head off. I have heard of ways to fish them in and out with the head on, but it sounds scary and difficult! lol
Mind you I have never rebuilt an engine myself, but this makes logical sense to me. I have been inside mine a time or two!
Last edited by OleBlue; Jul 26, 2013 at 01:23 AM.
Seasoned Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
Year: 1985
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 5.7L V8
Started tearing apart the jeep have to replace the head gasket this weekend I'm hoping the head isn't warped but will see later tonight when I finish lol had to stop and make dinner for the kids here are before pics
Seasoned Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
Year: 1985
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 5.7L V8
Finished the tear down all the bolts and everything are out and the cylinder head is ready to be pulled out tomorrow morning bright and early
will take pics of everything tomorrow it's to dark now
will take pics of everything tomorrow it's to dark now
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 541
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver
Year: 1998 and 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.7
You can do a bit of a rebuild without taking the engine out. (pistons, rings, camshaft) Just no fancy machining. I've done it both ways and the only reason I took the engine out is to take it to get bored .40 over and shave the top for a zero deck... but that's an other story.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 541
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver
Year: 1998 and 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.7
One day, I was offroading in the snow and the front was acting like it was locked (it was great.. nearly unstoppable) and some old guy told me it was about to break.
????? What does the old guy know anyway?
Then a couple months later, in a deep mud hole about 300 feet from the nearest tree BANG. spider gears came apart.
I'm guessing they where starting do fall apart and a piece of metal was probably stuck in between the gears locking the whole thing. Since I have a front axle disconnect, I never noticed anything wrong in 2WD
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 0
From: salem, OR
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
It's not what I did to my XJ but what I'm about to do.......

4 tires(31") and two wheels for $60, I'm not complaining lol got more tread than my tires do lol. Two are A/T sadly but the other two are M/T or really aggressive A/T. Hope to get them balanced and mounted soon. They should suffice for a season or two and hopefully this coming camp out.
I'm excited though

4 tires(31") and two wheels for $60, I'm not complaining lol got more tread than my tires do lol. Two are A/T sadly but the other two are M/T or really aggressive A/T. Hope to get them balanced and mounted soon. They should suffice for a season or two and hopefully this coming camp out.
I'm excited though
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,562
Likes: 3
From: Spanaway
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Adjusted my toe in a little. The best part about DDing your rig is you know whats going on and what needs attention. Plus I'm starting to prep for Elbe :-)
Well there's more to it then that. Ran Evans all day. Temp read between 210-220 like it always then on the way home it was running a little rough. Stopped to pick up my kid and smoke started pouring outta the engine bay. Popped the hood and the smoke was coming up off both sides of the valve cover. Temp read same as above when I got there. After the smoke started coming up I turned the key into the in position to check gauges. Temp read 260 then all the way in the red. Had to get the kid and jeep home which was .5 miles from where I stopped. Engine started but very rough. Misfiring, popping and sputtering. Check engine light flashed about ten times then stayed on solid. After a minute it started running better, still rough like on the way down the mountain but not as bad as when I restarted the engine initially. Temp gauge also dropped back down to 210-220. Drive the .5 miles home and parked it. Let cool off over night and try and figure it out tomorrow...



